Universität der Künste Berlin

Admission to UdK Berlin is highly selective and primarily portfolio- or audition-based, as is typical for art universities. International applicants must hold a higher education entrance qualification recognised by German authorities (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung). Applicants from India, China, and Vietnam whose prior qualification was obtained in those countries must present an APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) certificate before the visa stage. Entry requirements vary significantly by programme; applicants are directed to consult the programme-specific ApplicationGuide (BewerbungsGuide) on the university website. Language requirements (German B2/C1 or English B2/C1) must be met by the time of enrolment. The StudyGuide advisory service (+49 30 3185 1480; [email protected]) can advise on programme-specific requirements.

Application deadlines are programme-specific and are not published centrally on the English-language website. Applicants must consult the BewerbungsGuide (ApplicationGuide) for their chosen programme at www.udk-berlin.de/en/application/applicationguide/ or contact the StudyGuide office.

Direct application to UdK Berlin via its own portal my.udk-berlin for all applicants (international applicants are treated equally to national ones), but a uni-assist VPD is required beforehand for some bachelor's and all master's programmes: bachelor applicants who obtained their university entrance qualification abroad need the VPD for Architecture, Design, Communication in Social and Economic Contexts, Visual Communication, Music Education, Church Music, Tonmeister (Sound Engineering), all teaching degree programmes, and Art and Media; master's applicants with a foreign first degree need it for all master's programmes. uni-assist performs only the certificate pre-check (processing about four to six weeks, possible year-round, purely digital - no post); the actual programme application goes through my.udk-berlin within the deadline, and enrolment without a VPD is not possible. Exemptions: German HZB/degree holders, APS certificate holders (China, India, Vietnam), and graduates of a suitable German Studienkolleg. Sources: udk-berlin.de FAQs 'Bewerbung leicht gemacht' / 'Application made easy'.

Instruction is primarily in German. German proficiency at B2 or C1 level (depending on programme) is required for enrolment; applicants may apply with one level below (B1 if B2 is required, B2 if C1 is required). Accepted German certificates include DSH, Goethe-Institut, telc, and TestDaF. English proficiency (B2 or C1, depending on programme) is accepted for English-language or bilingual programmes; accepted certificates include IELTS (5.5-6.5 for B2; 6.5 for C1) and TOEFL iBT (72-94 for B2; 100 for C1). From winter semester 2025/26 proof of the required language level is mandatory for enrolment.